There's no doubt that providing great customer service is
one of the best ways to set your business apart from the competition and build
long-lasting relationships with clients. But what does it take to provide truly
exceptional service?
Look after your existing customers
In any business, it costs money to acquire new customers.
Plumbing and heating businesses are no different. In order to get new business,
you have to spend money on advertising and marketing. You also have to spend
time and energy cultivating relationships with potential clients. Once you've
finally landed a new customer, you then have to put in the work to show them
that your company is the best option for their future needs too. On the other
hand, it costs far less to maintain an existing client base and can even lead
to referrals and positive word-of-mouth.
Question- How much time, money and energy do you spend
trying to keep your customers? There’s a good chance you don’t have an answer
for that. You could probably tell me how much you have spent trying to get new
ones but you’ve maybe never thought about focusing your marketing efforts on
your existing ones.
It's important to remember that your existing customers are
worth their weight in gold. They're the ones who have already taken the plunge
and decided to do business with you. So don't take them for granted - show them
how much you appreciate their business, and they'll stick with you through
thick and thin.
What challenges do you face when trying to WOW your customers?
- Clients aren’t happy with us
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- It is easy to become defensive when someone says negative things about something you have worked so hard to achieve. However, if a customer isn’t happy with you then it is vital that you find out why. It could be something as simple as a misunderstanding or a mistake on your part. Only by understanding their perspective can you hope to address the issue and turn a negative experience into a positive one.
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- We’re constantly firefighting
- If you are finding that you spend more time-solving problems like breakdowns and leaks and less time adding real value to your existing clients maybe it’s time to review your set-up. Could you benefit from a dedicated maintenance engineer? Are the majority of your customers on maintenance plans? Preventative maintenance could mean recurring income for you and less time spent ‘fire fighting’.
- We get resistance when we try to raise prices
- As a plumbing and heating business owner, you know that prices for materials and labour are always going up. But when you try to raise your prices to cover these costs, you sometimes face resistance from customers. The key is to make sure that your customers see the value in what you're offering. Do they see you as a reliable and trustworthy company that provides quality service? If so, they're more likely to be willing to pay a little extra for your services. On the other hand, if they see you as just another plumbing company, they're more likely to resist any price increases. So it's important to make sure that your customers understand the value of what you're offering before you try to raise your prices.
- No time to add value to clients
- Make time! If you don’t have time to look after your existing customers then stop taking on new ones until you can resolve this. It's not worth sacrificing your standards and your reputation for the sake of a few extra pounds. Your customers will appreciate your commitment to quality and will be more loyal in the long run. Plus, it's always better to do a great job for a few customers than a mediocre job for many.
Technology is shaking up the plumbing and heating industry
What do your customers really want?
A sure way to WOW your clients is to give them what they
want! It sounds simple, but if you can answer their questions before they have
even asked then they will have faith in your company from the get-go. Speak to
your ideal client. What questions have they got? Do your marketing efforts
address these? What are they Googling?
- How can I save money on energy bills?
- What is the best heating solution for my home?
- Do I need a new boiler?
Tip- answerthepublic.com
is a fantastic tool to see what the general public are searching for online.
Make a good first impression
First impressions are important. A customer will form an
immediate opinion of your company based on what they see. For a plumbing and
heating business, that first impression often comes from your van. If your van
is clean and sign written, it sends a message that you're a professional who
takes pride in their work. Likewise, being on time and dressed in clean clothes
(not your grubby overalls) shows that you're respectful of your customer's time
and property. Be friendly and greet them with a smile.
Lifetime Value of a client
The lifetime value of a client is the total amount of money
that they will spend with your business over the course of their lifetime.
What is the average life cycle of a client? A week, a month,
a year, a decade or twenty years plus? Let’s break it down. A customer has a
boiler replaced at a cost of £2,000. For the next 20 years, the same customer
joins your boiler maintenance plan with an annual check-up at £100 per year
(plus inflation). £2,000 has just doubled to £4,000. Multiply that by all of
your boiler replacements and you’ve got yourself a very lucrative business. Not
to mention all the extra jobs that pop up along the life cycle like a bathroom
installation or a few new taps etc.
By understanding and applying the concepts of customer
lifetime value, you can create a strategy that keeps your customers coming back
for more.
Customer experience
“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did.
But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
Customer Service vs Customer Experience
Customer service = reactive. The assistance provided
by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services.
Customer experience = proactive. How customers
perceive their interactions with your company
In today's world, people are increasingly valuing
experiences over things. That's why businesses are focused on creating positive
customer experiences that will keep customers coming back. Because at the end
of the day, people don't forget how you made them feel. They might forget what
you said or what you did, but they'll always remember how you made them feel.
So if you want to create loyal, lifetime customers, focus on giving them an
experience they'll never forget.
Eight Phases of Customer Experience
·
Assess - customers deciding if they want
to do business with you. They are suspicious at this stage. And filled with
negativity given their experiences with their existing plumber. You need to
project yourself as different from the incumbent in order to win them over.
·
Admit - admit they need you and the
search is over. The customer is feeling joy that the search is over. If you
fail to acknowledge this you miss the chance to strongly associate this
emotional high with your service.
·
Affirm - known as buyer's remorse. They
begin to doubt. If you don’t address these feelings you’ll have to work
overtime to get to the feelings of joy and euphoria and excitement they felt in
the admit phase.
·
Activate – Activate the new relationship
in a meaningful way. During the first major post-sale interaction work towards
delivering on the promises made in the assessment phase. The customer is
excited to get started but somewhat anxious about whether everything will go as
promised. If you don’t start things on the right foot it will be hard to
overcome that first impression. If you do you’ll build momentum to carry you
deep into the relationship
·
Acclimate - getting used to your way of
working and your process. For the customer, it may be the first time they’ve
experienced this particular way of doing things. They are at best unsure and at
worst frustrated by the lack of familiarity. If you don’t properly onboard the
customer and get them bought into your approach they will never be a long-standing
customer. If you hold their hand along the way you can ensure a smooth
transition as they embrace your approach. You must acclimate your customer to
your way of doing business
·
Accomplish - when the customer achieves
the result they were seeking when they decided to do business with you in the
first place. When the service delivers so maybe the boiler installation is
achieved or the clean-up is done and they now have a functioning heating system.
If you don't deliver, your customers' emotions can range from unsatisfied to
angry. If you do deliver they will be between happy and ecstatic that everything
went as planned. In order for the relationship to advance, the customer must
accomplish their original goal
·
Adopt - The customer takes ownership
of the relationship. They proudly support your brand and firm and are thrilled
to be part of your community. If you won't make them feel special and receive
unique rewards, you won't have their complete loyalty
·
Advocate - customer becomes a raving fan,
zealous promoter. Sing your praises far and wide. If they are motivated to
promote you and you remind them to do so your business will grow in
unimaginable ways. The ultimate customer is one who becomes an advocate for
your firm
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Three simple things
1. Manage expectations - managing
expectations is key. If you set the bar too low, customers will be disappointed
when they don't get the level of service they expect. On the other hand, if you
set the bar too high, you'll run into problems trying to meet those
expectations. The key is to find a balance that works for both your business
and your customers. Start by defining what your ideal customer experience would
be. Then, take a close look at your current operations and see where there's
room for improvement.
2. Be proactive – Know your customers well
and anticipate their needs. One way to be proactive is to regularly
collect feedback from customers and use it to make changes. Another is to train
employees on how to provide great customer service.
3.
Be there when they need you - Whether
they're having trouble with a product or just have a question, they should be
able to rely on you to be there for them. Make sure you're easy to reach.
Provide multiple channels for customers to reach you, and make sure someone is
available to answer their questions promptly. Second, keep your promises. If
you say you'll do something, make sure you follow through. Customers will
appreciate your reliability, and it will build trust between you and them.
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Conclusion
Have you ever had a customer experience that just wowed you?
Maybe the service was so exceptional that it made your day. Or perhaps the
product was so amazing that you were totally blown away. Whatever the case,
delivering wow-factor experiences is crucial for businesses today. And luckily,
there are some easy ways to achieve this goal. By following these simple tips,
you can start creating unforgettable customer experiences for your clients and
drive more sales in the process. So what are you waiting for? Comments below on
when you last experienced wow factor service!
If you would like advice on any of the content of this article, or any other content Together We Count has published, do not hesitate to get in touch at info@togetherwecount.co.uk
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